One gift, nothing added
A single $5,000 gift, invested at 18 and left alone at a hypothetical 7% a year until 65, compounds for 47 years. The formula is FV = 5,000 × 1.07^47 = $120,228.54, with no extra deposits.
The milestones
Ten years in, at 28, it's about $9,835.76. At 38 it's about $19,348.42, at 48 about $38,061.28, and at 58 about $74,872.29. By 65 it reaches $120,228.54: about 24 times the original gift, and $115,228.54 of that is growth.
Most of it arrives late
Because each year's growth is a percentage of a bigger balance, the dollars pile up at the end. About 71% of the total growth arrives after age 48, in the last 17 of the 47 years. The same gift made earlier gets even more time; try "Gift at birth".
What this page leaves out
The rate is hypothetical and constant; real returns jump around and can be negative, and this isn't a forecast. There are no fees, taxes or inflation, and the page doesn't model any particular account type or gift rules. Check the rules for the account you have in mind before acting on any of this.
Sources
Last reviewed: Oct 9, 2026